Must See/Do at Disney World NOT in Theme parks?

[Amy]

Hence why I said "every", since you would likely be using the transit to another park/DTD, then hop onto another bus back to your hotel to get changed.

Ah, I see. I still wonder if it is more of a "if you want to use the fancy pools, pony up the bill to stay here, don't stay at the cheap resort and then come play in the big pool" sort of thing.

[Wizzard419]

Oh, that is exactly what it is, everything else is a perk.

[Sharonofwindham]

I find where they keep the horses that pull the trolley's on Main Street, etc, over at Fort Wilderness, Tri-Circle D Ranch is a great place to visit. And not to mention Hoop-Dee-Do dinner show at Pioneer hall there as well. Love that place so much!

[Monakie78]

Hence why I said "every", since you would likely be using the transit to another park/DTD, then hop onto another bus back to your hotel to get changed.

Ah, I see. I still wonder if it is more of a "if you want to use the fancy pools, pony up the bill to stay here, don't stay at the cheap resort and then come play in the big pool" sort of thing.

I can see that Disney wants to restrict people from busing in to use their pools or if someone goes from a cheaper resort to a more expensive.....however, with our DVC membership, it's not cheap to have the membership and the places we stay are not cheap either. Since the armbands are supposed to be so high tech & provide Disney staff with your personal info.....pool hop privileges should also be part of that (as it has been since DVC was created). We can still pool hop to many pools, but just not to our favorites I know for a fact that Disney is worried about crowd control during high peak times of the year, which is why in years past Disney had pool restrictions only during those times. We've been to the Animal Kingdom pool twice in the Fall and there were no more than 20 people in the pool. That's one of the pools that is 100% no pool hopping anymore. For the price we pay, it just stinks that privileges are being reduced and the cost goes up.

[Wizzard419]

You should complain to their CS team, it might get some traction.

[Amy]

Hence why I said "every", since you would likely be using the transit to another park/DTD, then hop onto another bus back to your hotel to get changed.

Ah, I see. I still wonder if it is more of a "if you want to use the fancy pools, pony up the bill to stay here, don't stay at the cheap resort and then come play in the big pool" sort of thing.

I can see that Disney wants to restrict people from busing in to use their pools or if someone goes from a cheaper resort to a more expensive.....however, with our DVC membership, it's not cheap to have the membership and the places we stay are not cheap either. Since the armbands are supposed to be so high tech & provide Disney staff with your personal info.....pool hop privileges should also be part of that (as it has been since DVC was created). We can still pool hop to many pools, but just not to our favorites I know for a fact that Disney is worried about crowd control during high peak times of the year, which is why in years past Disney had pool restrictions only during those times. We've been to the Animal Kingdom pool twice in the Fall and there were no more than 20 people in the pool. That's one of the pools that is 100% no pool hopping anymore. For the price we pay, it just stinks that privileges are being reduced and the cost goes up.

You should complain to their CS team, it might get some traction.

Have you indeed checked with anyone to see why the change was instated? And if you can get them to bend the rules during the slower season? I totally agree that the DVC is not at all inexpensive, and didn't realize pool hopping used to be one of the perks of membership. I think it would be worth asking around. And asking someone else if you don't like the first answer. If nothing else, I have found you can ask ten different CMs the same question and get 10 different answers. Keep poking around until someone says Yes!

[Wizzard419]

That's actually really bad advice. If you ask a question and get a "no" 9 times out of 10 that doesn't necessarily mean the 10th person is correct. It usually means someone lapsed in training. Plus it being a non-committal, they could tell you yes and you go to the front desk to get the functionality added in and they won't have to honor it.

[Monakie78]

That's actually really bad advice. If you ask a question and get a "no" 9 times out of 10 that doesn't necessarily mean the 10th person is correct. It usually means someone lapsed in training. Plus it being a non-committal, they could tell you yes and you go to the front desk to get the functionality added in and they won't have to honor it.

Yeah, I don't think I would keep asking if so many people said no. But we're going back in October & I'm going to talk to someone at concierge. My dad talked to someone over the phone before our last trip. But I like to talk to people face to face. Sometimes rules change if enough people keep asking for change.

[Amy]

That's actually really bad advice. If you ask a question and get a "no" 9 times out of 10 that doesn't necessarily mean the 10th person is correct. It usually means someone lapsed in training. Plus it being a non-committal, they could tell you yes and you go to the front desk to get the functionality added in and they won't have to honor it.

Yeah, I don't think I would keep asking if so many people said no. But we're going back in October & I'm going to talk to someone at concierge. My dad talked to someone over the phone before our last trip. But I like to talk to people face to face. Sometimes rules change if enough people keep asking for change.

I don't think it is bad advice at all. I think it shows that WDW isn't always on top of keeping CMs informed. If DVC membership has pool hopping as a perk, and they have recently restricted which pools are available as part of that perk, it doesn't hurt to ask why the policy changed, and if there are any exceptions to be made. And face to face is generally always the best, or at the very least, getting the name and position of the person you talked to so you have someone to reference. And you should probably be asking people that will have more knowledge, like a concierge or a front desk manager. The CMs working the pool might just say no because that is the policy, where the concierge or manager can tell you yes or no and why they are saying yes and no. And like Monakie78 said, if enough people ask, they might consider a change in the policy, especially in the less busy seasons.

[Wizzard419]

Yes, large group with huge turnover means there are lapses. But if you keep searching for gaps in policy it doesn't mean jack s*it, if the official rule is "No pool hopping", asking every person with a mouth until you get someone that agrees with you is not good. Like you just pointed out, the pool guy would say no because that is the policy, because a concierge or manager lives for approval from others (it's basically a job requirement), they will break the rules if the blowback odds are minimal.

The only reason I suspect they wouldn't do a seasonal change is that it would be a pain, it would need to be all or nothing, I'm not even sure if their system can just give a blanket credential to all pools without being a janitor or security guard.

[aboden]

It could just be difference between the high and low season. Probably more lax and not going to keep a hard line if there's a few people using the pool. But during high season I can see following the rules completely. But if it's a policy change asking "why" I'm sure only the concierge or managers may know it and maybe not even them. Just this is the change and the reason were never relayed to us.

[Wizzard419]

They also have to be consistent with rules and regulations, otherwise you get the scenario of "Last time I was here we could do it/worker X told me it was ok". It is just easier to use physical keys so the conversation won't start.

That probably won't stop some people from sneaking in while larger groups enter.